Will JetBlue Offer Flights to Europe?

JetBlue Airways, the New York-based airline best known for its domestic and Caribbean flights (and free on-board Terra blue chips), may have its sights set on flights across the pond. In an announcement yesterday, the carrier said it intends to configure new Airbus deliveries down the line for long range capabilities, hinting at flying across the Atlantic to destinations in Europe, as its current fleet of Embraer E190s and Airbus A320s and A321s don’t have the range to make it across the ocean.

Specifically, JetBlue plans on buying more planes and swapping out those Airbus A321s—which it typically use to make the trip across the U.S. and into the Caribbean—with newly configured LR, or long range, models that could potentially jet to Europe. The company also plans to buy 30 new aircraft in the coming couple of years, 15 of which will potentially be converted and made capable of flying across the Atlantic. JetBlue was also one of the six U.S.-based carriers chosen to launch commercial flights to Cuba.

Should JetBlue choose to fly to Europe, they would be a major disruptor to the market: some of its longtime partners, including Aer Lingus, British Airways, and Lufthansa, may lose leisure travelers to the carrier, which has a strong domestic presence and typically offers low promotional rates when it first enters new markets. All new aircraft will also be equipped with the Mint premium cabin that their newer A321 fleet offers, primarily on longer-haul flights. The class may also further woo travelers if—and when—the time comes to fly to Europe.

While JetBlue won’t confirm they’re taking off with transatlantic flights just yet, the airline did indicate that there’s good reason to strongly consider the option. "Europe suffers from the same lack of competition and high fares as [transcontinental] routes have. We have not committed to the LR, or to adding Europe to our network, but that is certainly an environment that JetBlue competes well in," JetBlue spokesperson Doug McGraw told Condé Nast Traveler.